storm

Keys to the Storehouse – Faith Triumphs Over Fear

by

Life often deals out situations that seem so hard to navigate, and this past year surely has been no exception. On top of all the normal every-day struggles, we have had to survive the COVID-19 storm and for those living in the United States, the appalling lead-up to the Federal elections. It makes one wonder just how much they can endure. To cope, we can either choose faith or fear.

Think about the disciples on a boat when a life-threatening storm erupted on the lake. They were unprepared to face the danger, realizing that at any moment they might die. While they all panicked, Jesus, who was with them, slept peacefully through the storm. Instead of trusting His reaction to the storm, the disciples allowed the situation to dictate their reaction.

Jesus’ gentle rebuke, asking them why they were afraid, was intended for them to realize their lack of faith that He could see them through the storm. So how should we respond when passing through storms over which we have no control?

Trust in Him who does have control over the wind and waves of life. The situation may not change, but we can always choose to trust God. When storms come, do we focus on the size of the storm or on the One who already knows the outcome? Any situation can be navigated with His wisdom and peace.

It is so easy to be fearful when we are unable to control the outcome. We are called to live by faith and trust in the One who does know our future and is in the business of saving all who seek Him. There are always two choices when one is overwhelmed: either focus on the circumstances or on Jesus. He will walk by the side of those who depend on Him. No storm that anyone will ever face is more powerful than our Saviour. Remember, Jesus is always beside us and will guide us safely to the heavenly shore.

Father, thank You for the promise You have made to never leave us or forsake us. Give us the courage to always keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who alone can overpower any situation we find ourselves in and walk with us through the storms of life until we triumph at last. Amen.

Children’s Story – The Lamp in the Window

by

Swish-swish!” went the rain. “Boom-boom!” crashed the thunder. And all round the car the wind whistled and moaned. Rudy crouched down in the back seat. “Is it much farther to Grandmother’s?” he asked.

Daddy, who was driving very slowly, answered, “I don’t think so, but I’m not certain just where we are.”

Rudy blinked as he tried to see out into the rainy darkness. “Can’t you see by the headlights?” he asked.

“Not in this downpour!” exclaimed Mother, wiping the windshield in front of her with her handkerchief. “I can’t even see the ditches.”

“I can see them all right.” Daddy shifted gears cautiously. “I’m just hoping we don’t slide into one.”

“Me, too,” added Rudy. How he wished he was safe inside Grandmother’s warm kitchen.

Rudy and his parents lived in the United States, but they had come to England to surprise his grandmother with a visit. At the airport they had rented a car to drive into the country to Grandmother’s house, but they hadn’t counted on the rainstorm that was almost making them lose their way.

Thinking about his grandmother made Rudy hungry. “Wouldn’t a big bowl of Grandmother’s potato soup taste good!” he exclaimed.

“It certainly would,” Mother agreed, but an extra-loud crash of thunder muffled her words.

The thunder was followed by a brilliant flash of lightening that made Rudy duck his head. What happened next neither Daddy, Mother, nor Rudy knew exactly. Rudy didn’t feel the car turn, but when he looked up he could see the fence posts right up against the front headlights.

“Daddy, is there a fence in the middle of the road?” Rudy cried.

“No,” said Daddy, rolling down a window. “We skidded. The car is sitting crosswise in the road.”

“Can you turn around?” asked Mother.

“I can try,” answered Daddy. He began backing up, but the car wheels spun in the soft mud, round and round. The car rocked back and forth for a while, then the engine stopped.

“It’s no use,” said Daddy. “We’re on high center. The wheels have sunk down to the axles in the mud. We’ll have to walk the rest of the way to Grandmother’s.”

Rudy looked into the rainy blackness and swallowed hard. “How can we see to walk?” he managed to ask.

“I have the flashlight,” said Daddy. “We can follow the road. I don’t think it’s much farther.”

Rudy buttoned his coat and stepped out of the car into the rain and mud. Daddy took his left hand and Mother took his right.

“Just follow me,” said Daddy, “and keep your head down. That way the rain won’t beat into your face.”

For a while Rudy kept his head down, but soon he looked up to see where they were walking. In the beam of the flashlight he could see an open field.

Puzzled, he stopped. “Daddy!” he cried suddenly. “There’s no field near Grandmother’s house, is there?”

Daddy stopped walking too. “No, son, there isn’t,” he said in a tired voice. “We’ve missed the road some way.”

For a moment Rudy stood listening to the storm around him and his parents. Then he asked, “Daddy, don’t you think we should pray? Maybe Jesus will help us get to Grandmother’s house.”

“Yes, I think He will.” Daddy turned off the flashlight and put it in his coat pocket so that he could fold his hands.

Then he began his prayer. “Jesus, my family and I are lost. Without Your help, we will never be able to reach my mother’s house tonight. Please allow Your lamp to guide us.”

Soon after Daddy had finished his prayer the rain slowed to a heavy mist and the wind died.

“We can see better now,” said Daddy, “and the rain won’t beat in our faces so badly.”

Rudy found he could walk better, too, without having to hold his head down. He tried to see through the darkness beyond the beam of Daddy’s flashlight, and presently he saw an orange-colored glare.

“Daddy, I see a light!” Rudy cried happily.

“I see it, too,” said Mother. “I think it is a light from a window, but it looks a little strange.”

Daddy was laughing at Mother’s bewilderment. “It’s Grandmother’s kerosene lamp,” he explained. “She always turns the electricity off during a storm, but it is odd that we can see the lamp so plainly.”

Everyone walked faster now, and in a few minutes they were happily inside Grandmother’s warm kitchen. The first thing Rudy saw after he had greeted his grandmother was the kerosene lamp sitting on a chair by the window.

“We saw your lamp, Grandmother!” he told her excitedly.

His grandmother looked at the lamp and shook her head in a puzzled way. “It is strange,” she said, “but about ten minutes ago I was sitting here reading when all of a sudden I had a feeling that maybe someone needed to see my lamp. So I moved it from the table and put it on that chair by the window.”

Daddy and Mother and Rudy looked at one another. Then Daddy smiled. “That must have been about the time we were praying.”

“And you asked Jesus to be our lamp to guide us to Grandmother’s house,” Rudy added, remembering every word of Daddy’s prayer.

There were happy tears in Grandmother’s eyes as she listened, and she repeated a verse from the Psalms, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Grandmother looked at Daddy and added softly, “Jesus heard your prayer and told me to move my lamp.”

“He certainly did,” agreed Daddy, “so let’s all thank Him right now.”

What a happy moment it was as everyone knelt to thank Jesus for the kerosene lamp in the window that had brought the family safely out of the storm.

Heaven, Please! Helena Welch, 48–53.

Children’s Story — A Stormy Night

by

A few years ago, my family went on a vacation to a national park in North Dakota. We had an enjoyable time camping and hiking, and all too soon, it was time to go back home. Of course, we had to camp a couple of nights on the way back because it took a few days to get home from where we had been vacationing. The last night that we camped was a very adventurous one.

We had been driving all day and were looking for a nice place to camp. Lake Sakakwea seemed to be good enough, so we stopped, paid fees, and selected our site. We set up our tents and put our bedding in them. Then we got out our supper and ate. When we were finished, we sat on the bank of the enormous lake to enjoy the beautiful sunset. It was a very nice evening. My brother decided to look around a bit and do some exploring. He had been walking around on the bank’s edge for a couple of minutes, when we heard a big “ker-plunk” like a piece of the bank had fallen into the lake. My mom said in a worried voice, “Hud, are you OK?” Hud was all right, but he told us that right after he had walked on a little patch of the bank it had fallen in. His guardian angel must have held that little patch up until he passed. What do you think?

All of us went to see where the bank had caved in, and there it was, a gap where dirt had once been. We could see the water bubbling and some of the fallen bank sticking out of it. We were all glad that our tents were set up safely—a few yards from the lake’s edge. As the evening went on, more of the bank fell into the lake, but we were all cautious and stayed out of harm’s way. Soon we went to bed.

That night a huge storm came through. It was raining hard, and the wind was ferocious! My brother, sister and I were sleeping in a fairly old tent that could not withstand such wind. I was sleeping on the side of the tent that was facing the wind, and the wind was so forceful on that side of the tent that it flattened the tent against me, and the poles were digging into my skin. It was not a comfortable position, to say the least.

My parents came out to make sure that their tent stakes were securely in the ground. My mom saw how our tent was being flattened, and came to see how we were doing. She saw my predicament and offered to let me spend the rest of the night in her sturdy tent. I accepted, glad to get away from those terrible poles.

I packed up my sleeping bag and made my way out into the dark and stormy night. Of course, when I left, the wind completely flattened the spot where I had been lying and pushed the tent against my sister. She decided to go sleep in our van, as she did not fancy poles grinding into her skin either. So, she packed up her things and emerged into the cold night.

When she got out, the wind deformed the tent even more. My brother experienced having the whole tent pinning him down, with very little space to move. He definitely did not like the hard poles squeezing him either, so he joined my sister and me for a more peaceful night in our van. My parents went back to their trusty tent for a noisy, but reasonably comfortable night.

Now you may think that we must have had a terribly chintzy tent. Actually, it seemed like a pretty nice one. We bought it from a good company, and when it was new, it was strong. Even in its later years, it served well through small storms. We were comfortable with it usually, and even now use it occasionally. It is good enough for most situations. The problem with that tent is that it failed the big test.

Thinking about that made me think about myself. “Do I have a faith, which, like that tent, is only strong enough for small storms? Am I building up my faith so that it will be able to bring me through the Christian’s big storm, because it is secured in our only true Foundation, Jesus Christ? Will I stand up strong and firm in all my trials, like my parent’s tend did?” These thoughts passed through my mind. I am now praying and striving for a faith that is strong enough to pass my big test.

 

The Sparrow in the Storm

by

“A storm is coming relentless in its fury.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 315, How will we make it through this coming storm of unprecedented fierceness? That is what we will look at in this article. Most of the time we realize our utter weakness and helplessness. Without the Lord’s special intervention, we know that we have little strength to stand in times of storm. We sometimes fear that we may be left alone. We feel that we may be like the helpless little sparrow trying to brave the cold blustery winter wind.

In the world, sparrows are not of much value. “Are not tow sparrows sold for a farthing?” You may not feel that you are of much value in this world either. That you, like the little sparrow, are helpless and alone. But, Jesus said, “And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31. Our heavenly Father has a plan to protect you in the great final storm of life. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11. Do not fear the coming storm if you are hidden in the sure hiding place.

The final culmination of this coming storm is described as happening during the seventh plague. “And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.” Revelation 16:18–21. This storm will be louder then any you have ever heard. The thunder will roll through the earth with deafening jolts. Where will you be hiding when the lightening flashes, the thunder rolls and the hail crashes to the earth? Will you have a hiding place?

Job wrote about another aspect of this storm. “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” Job 38:22, 23. Here we see another element of this storm—snow.

On our back porch, we have a bird feeder. In the spring time we have three kinds of birds that come: the little Sparrows, the even smaller Juncos, and the beautiful red Cardinals. The feeder is close to our table and during mealtime we often look out and see the Cardinals and the Sparrows happily eating. One day, late this past winter, the snow was coming down fast and furious, and the wind was blowing. I looked out at the bird feeder and was amazed to see that the birds were flying in, just as much as ever, to get food out of the bird feeder. However, the wind blew so hard that it blew most of the feed out of the bird feeder and the snow came down so fast that it covered up the seed on the patio.

The birds would get up into the bird feeder, flutter their wings and knock the remaining seed down on the patio. Then they would hop down on the snow and eat the seed. There were quite a number of them down there eating. Four times during the snowstorm, I went out and sprinkled a pint of various seeds on the snow. The birds would have it about half eaten before it was covered up with more snow. Then I would sprinkle more seeds. With the cold wind all around them, how lighthearted and happy the birds were. Without stopping to mourn the storm, they ate what was provided and chirped their happy thoughts.

 

Can You Serve Two Masters?

 

The One that made the little birds is the One that arranges for their care in the snow and wind. Jesus told us that we should look at the birds (Matthew 6:26) and think about them. They have a lesson to teach us. A lesson that if well learned will help us through the storm that is coming. If we, with undivided devotion, serve the Master that made us, we have no cause to fear.

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet, your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:24–26. Look at the birds! Who takes care of them? They do not sew their garments and yet your heavenly Father sees them. They trust the heavenly Father. We can only have this trust if our service is undivided. “No man can serve two masters.” It all comes down to which Master we serve. If you serve the Master that created the birds, He will take care of you just like He takes care of the birds. If we choose to divide our service between God and a different master, we abandon God’s careship. However, the Lord in His great mercy strives with us long, to bring us under His care, because He loves us.

We need His care because a great storm of persecution is coming. “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:11–17.

This beast is a persecuting power because, verse 12 says, “He exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.” And verse 7 describes the first beast, saying: “It was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” This beast makes war with God’s people. Although he is a persecuting power, he has influence over the whole world through the miracles he performs. After he has the wholeworld awestruck by his miraculous power, then “he hath power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” verse 15.

 

Discerning the Signs

 

This is the great storm that even now is starting to break upon us. Have you ever noticed the color of the sky before it hails? It turns an unusual kind of a green. Jesus said to the Pharisees, You look up in the sky and you can see the signs in the sky that foretell the weather. In just the same way you should look at the signs and see that the coming of the Son of man is even at the door. All around us we see the signs of a great storm approaching. Where will you be when the storm strikes?

The time is coming very soon when the warning message to obey God will have been given to the whole world. Everyone will have heard a call of mercy to obey God, worship Him and keep His Ten Commandments. It is going forth even now. Very soon, how soon only God knows, everyone in the world will have heard a call to obey Him. Whoever you obey, he is your master. Everyone will have to choose one or the other; “No man can serve two masters.” But the One that created the birds is able to take care of us, just like He takes care of the little birds and sees that they have food to eat in the storm.

“His hand is not shortened, that He cannot save, nor His ear heavy, that He cannot hear.” Isaiah 59:1. That is not even the question. The question is, are our sins removed? God said, It is your iniquities that are between Me and you, so that I will not reach forth My hand to save you.

We have a prayer hearing and answering God. But if we persistently refuse to receive His invitations of mercy, the time eventually will come when God will stand up and the final pronouncement will be made for every inhabitant on this world. The words will go forth: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly.” Revelation 22:11, 12. Before this pronouncement, everyone will have decided which side they are on and which master they will serve.

 

The Time of Jacob’s Trouble

 

Then the world will be plunged into the most terrible scenes of trouble. Satan himself will plunge this earth into a fearful time of corruption, agony and despair, affecting all the inhabitants of this world. God’s people also will be in a time of trouble, what is called by the prophet Jeremiah, the time of Jacob’s trouble. “For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jeremiah 30:5–7.

Why is Jacob’s trouble used to describe this great time of trouble that is coming on this earth Because we, like Jacob, are great sinners. Through lying and deception, Jacob obtained the birthright that was to be his. Esau wanted the birthright and was angry, so Jacob had to flee for his life. Twenty years later an angel, in a dream, told Jacob to go back to his homeland. Like the little sparrow he had no weapons against the hand of the fowler. He sent his brother gifts. He eventually divided his family into two camps hoping that if one were attacked, the other could escape. As the night approached, he crossed over the brook to spend the night in prayer. He knew God was his only hope. “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when He saw that He prevailed not against him, He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as He wrestled with him. And He said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And He said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” Genesis 32:24.

Jacob knew that he was feeble. He had to run to a hiding place. Someone was coming against him that was stronger than he was. He was like a rabbit being chased by a fox. The rabbits know that they must find a hiding place, or they will get caught. “The conies [little desert rabbits] are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.” Proverbs 30:26. But Jacob had a problem that even the rabbits do not have—he had sinned against God (his Rock of hiding). He had been deceptive. He had broken the law of God. But knowing the mercy of God, he dared to lean upon His grace and ask for help. We must also go to the one we have sinned against and ask for forgiveness, if we expect to find help and strength in the storm. That is our only hope. Like Jacob, we will find mercy there.

Jacob’s prayer must have been similar to this: “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of Thy wings.” Psalm 61:1–4. Hidden in the Rock, Jacob was safe. Esau could not touch him.

The next morning, as Esau came, Jacob, leaning on his staff, painfully limped out to see his brother. Jacob looked feeble. He had been wrestling with the angel all night. Little did the hardened chief realize that the hiding of his brother’s strength was in his limp. It is better to have a lame joint from the hand of God than to stand in our own strength.

Often God heals us through the pain of trials and suffering. We are very slow to realize that trials, suffering and times of trouble mean benefit to us. We want the “blessing” of no problems, no financial worries, no hard work, no weariness and no pain. But that is not the way life is. When Jesus was on earth, the devil assailed Him from the cradle to the cross but He never faltered. We can walk in His footsteps. There are cruel thorns on the pathway that prick and wound us, but through the power of prayer, we can prevail.

There is a great evil power on this earth and just as the devil moved on Esau’s heart to march against Jacob and destroy him, the devil will move on the wicked to destroy the righteous. That is why the prophet Jeremiah called this the time of Jacob’s trouble. The righteous during this last great time of trouble will have people against them, just as Jacob did. (See Revelation 13:15.)

 

Wrestling with God

 

During that time, if we follow Jacob’s example, we will be saved. It is said of Jacob, “Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto Him: He found him in Bethel, and there He spake with us.” Hosea 12:4. Like Jacob, we have sinned. But we need to go to the One we have sinned against, for He is the only One that can give us a protective covering in the storm. God says to each of us: “Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” Isaiah 27:5. Have you reached out your hand in prayer and taken hold of the strong One? Have you agonized long with God in prayer, until every power in your soul was on the stretch? Until your only longing was to be completely transformed into God’s likeness?

Those that are wrestling with God for the victory, as Jacob did, will find a cover in the storm. Like the conies, they will be hidden in the rock. I want to be sheltered by the Rock of ages, the Tower of strength, under His wings. During this storm, the beast power will cause everyone to receive a mark. Anyone who does not receive the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name will not be able to buy or sell. (See Revelation 13:16, 17.)

Jesus said, If you serve the Master that created the birds, you do not need to worry. We serve a God that owns all the food and raiment in the world. Our only concern should be which god are we serving? Do we worship the Master of earth and sea and sky, the Creator?

 

Satan’s Masterpiece

 

During this time, the greatest deception in the history of the world will be staged. Satan will try to counterfeit the Second Coming of Jesus. Paul warns us of this time, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition: who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4.

The man of sin will oppose God. He will try to set himself up as God and cause all to worship him. In other words, he will use trickery. Then Paul says, “Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: [It was already working in Paul’s time] only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” 2 Thessalonians 2:5–7. “Letteth” means constrained. This man of sin was being constrained, being held back in Paul’s day, but it was already starting to work.

“And then [meaning when the power restraining the man of sin was removed; which happened in 538 A.D., when the pagan Roman Empire was removed, and there was nothing to hold back the papal church] shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8–12.

This is not the Second Coming of Jesus, but the coming of another power. Jesus talked about this coming, which “is after the working of Satan,” in Matthew 24, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” Matthew 24:23–26.

Imagine the ring of victory in the air as people from all over the world cry, “Christ is come! Christ is come! He is performing miracles!” The deceiver comes as a beautiful majestic being, speaking the words of Scripture. Then in his gentle voice, this false christ assures the world that God’s law has been changed, that the Sabbath has been changed to Sunday. Then the whole world will wonder after the beast.

The devil cannot counterfeit the coming of Jesus. We must know what the Bible says about His coming so we will not be deceived. The following verses give a description of the Second Coming that cannot be duplicated: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:27. “And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Verse 31. “Every eye shall see Him.” Revelation 1:7. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. But if you see a coming that is not like this, you are seeing the greatest deception this world has ever seen. If you are not hidden in the Rock, you will be deceived.

“A storm is coming, relentless in its fury.” There is a hiding place. It is safe in the Rock of ages. If you have chosen Him for your Master, then just like the little bird in the storm, you will be safe. Some of God’s people may be martyred. You may be persecuted for your faith, for standing firmly for God’s law. Remember, the words of Jesus, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:4–9.

Do not be afraid of men. Fear God. If you have chosen Him for your Master and you confess Him before men, He will take care of you, just like He takes care of the little sparrows.